Student Arrested For Classroom Texting???
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
Canada
February 19, 2009 4:46pm CST
[b]
Wisconsin girl, 14, nabbed after refusing to stop messaging
A 14-year-old Wisconsin girl who refused to stop texting during a high school math class was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, according to police. The teenager was busted last Wednesday at Wauwatosa East High School after she ignored a teacher's demand that she cease texting. The girl, whose name we have redacted from the below Wauwatosa Police Department report, initially denied having a phone when confronted by a school security officer. However, the phone was located after the girl was frisked by a female cop. The Samsung Cricket, the police report noted, was recovered "from the buttocks area" of the teenager. The student was issued a criminal citation for disorderly conduct, which carried "a bail of $298," and had her phone confiscated. The girl, who was barred from school property for a week, is scheduled for an April 20 court appearance on the misdemeanor rap.[/b] http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0217092samsung1.html
Do you think this was warranted? Do you think it was too harsh a punishment or just perfect?
I think it was a little much but I guess it depends how disobedient the girl was being.
5 people like this
41 responses
@UtopianIdealist (1604)
• United States
23 Feb 09
I don't think the police getting involved was warrented. I think it is strange that she went through that kind of trouble to hide the phone. I am sure her parents were not too pleased.
2 people like this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
23 Feb 09
Her mother cried so I doubt very much that this was the first time.
1 person likes this
@DCMerkle (1281)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I thnk the disorderly conduct came when she refused to hand over the phone and had to be frisked. The issue of texting in the claasroom is strictly a school issue unless when she was texting there were others that were more interested in what was being text then the class lesson. That could be considered disorderly conduct.
DCMerkle
2 people like this
@sunchild2000 (511)
• Romania
20 Feb 09
You've got to be joking me?! OK confiscating the phone is a fair way but now arresting and bail punishments? OK this is way too much..."over exaggeration" level has been reached. The girl should have been confiscated and lowered her social grade (well according to school systems from my region). That this act is just too much and even unfair.Oh well things like these are not so uncommon these days..everything is crossing nowadays the limits.
1 person likes this
@sunchild2000 (511)
• Romania
20 Feb 09
just spotted an error I meant "the girl's phone should have been confiscated" and not her XD
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@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
I would agree except I read the police report from beginning to end and it states that when she was asked for the phone she claimed she did not even own a cell phone, even though 2 classmates saw her using it in the class in question AND one of the classmates said she wanted no part of what happened in class.
@mercuryman3a (2477)
• India
20 Feb 09
That is exemplary punishment and serves her right. imagine the audacity of a student to defy the teacher's instructions to stop messaging in the class room. What has the world come to? In our days you would be marched to the Principal's office and caned for such behavior.
I believe that cellphones should not be permitted on the school campus at all. it is a big distraction for students. In fact parents should not give cellphones to school going children.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
I would allow my child to have a cell phone just not take it to school. It is a policy at my son's school and he is only in grade 1
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I partly agree. Parents should NOT pay for cell phones for their kids, especially if they are going to misuse them. However, I believe that if the kid is over 16 and responsible, the parent might allow them to have a phone if they foot the bill. However I'm sketchy even about that because kids even taht age are often irresponsible. I guess it'd depend on just how responsible my kid was.
1 person likes this
@messageme (2821)
• United States
20 Feb 09
What happen to sending someone to the principle's office or detention? The teacher couldn't just go up to her and take the phone away and give it back to her at the end of class? To call the police and have the girl go to a court hearing and be barred from school property just because she didn't listen? WTF is this world coming too? Is this school known to have violence? Was the teacher scared to aproach the girl or what? I think this is a little too harsh!
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
After reading the police report I found that she was in fact asked several times by the teacher and the police where the phone was and to give it up but she wouldn't. She kept saying she had no phone and didn't own one. She seems like a disturbed young lady by what I read she even smirked at the officer when they found the phone in her pants.
1 person likes this
@messageme (2821)
• United States
21 Feb 09
Then maybe she did deserve everything she got. Someone needs to teach her a lesson before she goes out in the real world on her own.
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
20 Feb 09
I think calling the cops is to far. I am sorry but she was not hurting anyone or breaking any laws refusng to turn her cell phone off. She was breaking school rules, which is totally different. I do hope her parents has a good attorney for this case. I also hope the parents switch their daughters school.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
Did you read the police report? She has a history of this kind of behavior and lying repeatedly to not only the school staff but to the police as well.
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@AcousticSoul (1309)
• United States
20 Feb 09
This is outrageous. jail for texting. now if the girl assaulted the officer then ok... maybe they could of given her OSC off campus suspention for a day or so for not being obedient but jail. I really think that was going to far
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@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
She served no jail time. She was released into her mothers custody once they found the phone and after she repeatedly lied about having a cell phone at all. the police report gives some good info on the subject.
@di1159 (1580)
• United States
20 Feb 09
It sounds very extreme. I would want to know the full story first. If the teacher had already asked her to stop and she continued, it seems that there might be a bit more to the story. Some of these kids think they can do anything and have very big mouths. If she responded in an inappropriate manner, they might be making an example of her to deter other students. Just the fact that she ignored the teacher's request would make me upset at her if I were her mother.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
You should read the police report that is on the site. It gave me some insite into the issue and I think it was warranted.
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
20 Feb 09
If she would've stopped when asked then it'd be too much. However, if she constantly refused, even lying and denying that she even had it even to the point of needing to be frisked, then I would say this is an appropriate punishment for the impertinent teen.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
I agree 100%. I did not read the police report til after I posted the discussion and have definately changed my tune.
@leen_zhihai (63)
• Malaysia
22 Feb 09
The punishment is kind of too much but I believe there must be reason for it. Perhaps the girl have been acting like that for so long?
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
22 Feb 09
according to the police report this is something that happens alot with this girl
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I read the entire police report on this incident. This student was a prior offender within the school. She was caught by the teacher texting. Two other students besides said they saw her with the phone texting. She straight up lied about the entire incident. Her parents were called and she gave the wrong number for her father (who had given her the phone). Finally her mother was reached and was asked to come to the school. The mother was told of the situation and told the school that her ex husband had given the daughter the phone and that she did not want it. The girl's father was given the phone at a later date. The female cop was brought in to frisk here. This girl was taken from the class room to the office and still refused to cooperate with everyone involved from the teacher to the principle to the RO. She finally admitted that she had been texting to her mother (of course this was AFTER the phone had been found on her). I think it is justice. Her bratty little self deserved it. I just hope the poor mom is not going to bail her out quickly. Let her sit in a cell for a while. Disrespectful little brat!
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
When I originally posted this discussion I had not read the police report but I have since then and I totally 100% agree with you. I think most of the people that responded did not read the police report or they might agree with us too.
@mariedenae (335)
• United States
20 Feb 09
1) I think students should be allowed to have a phone while in school because if there is an emergency (i.e Columbine) they would be able to send out messages to their family letting them know what is going on, as the girl did before she was shot in school.
2) I don't see the reason behind her being frisked over a CELL PHONE. I would rather the cops call me FIRST BEFORE touching my son or daughter. I do not feel it is within their power to put their hands on my child in ANY place such as that, whether it was a female officer or not. Their first job should have been to call her parents.
3) I know that the school systems have been on total lock down after all the shootings and such that keep occurring but going so far as to arrest a young girl just for basically passing an electronic note in class is ridiculous. That sort of thing is making me lose all trust and faith in the public authorities and the schools themselves.
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
While I do agree for the most part, I do not agree with what she was doing with the phone. If she wants the privilege of having her phone at school she should have been responsible enough to NOT use it during class.
@mariedenae (335)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Yes, yes, very true. She was irresponsible for using it during classroom time. But why didn't they call her parents before searching her? That's the one thing that upsets me about the whole issue. She should have had her parents called in to reprimand her AND confiscate the phone, not the police.
@uicbear (1900)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Wow, whatever happened to conficating the phone and giving detention, or shoot, go ahead and suspend her. I cannot believe that they had her arrested and hauled off to jail. that's ridiculous to say the least. Unless she tried to punch someone trying to take her phone. I really think this whole texting thing is out of hand, but I have to admit, I wrote notes when I was in high school this is just more direct, that's all.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
LOL you didn't read the police report like most of the other responders lol She was not hauled off to jail and she has a history of bad behavior and lied repeatedly to school staff and the police.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
20 Feb 09
W[i]ow...can't believed this!
I mean for me this case can be settled within the campus with student, teachers and principals! If there are rules of the school violated then give her sanction within the school..
Anyway, I know it's different also from where I came from. We never end up having a cops involved when I was working in my Country.....
This will for sure give a lot of lesson to students and follow whatever rules of the school when it comes to cellphone![/i]
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
Yes I think it definitely will. Kids will think twice before using their phones during class time.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Feb 09
One reason for a ban on cellphones in class would be to prevent cheating between students in an exam situation..although in this incident it seems to have been during a regular math class,the fact that She refused to co-operate with the teacher's request that she stop makes it her responsibility for the consequences..Although I must say I WAS surprised that the teacher had the authority to call the cops and have the student arrested for what seems to have been a simple classroom misdemeanor! Worth a detention,maybe..Does this school have a Zero Tolerance policy in place? sure seems like it..maybe the rest of the school will have got the message now?
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
LOl if the rest of the school does not have the msg I am sure this 14yr old sure will give them the msg lol From what the police report says i think she got what she deserved.
@22angel22 (450)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Thats taking it alittle far. Now i understand taking the phone away and then keeping it until after school and telling her to not bring it back, but not arresting her and then having a crimal record for something so silly.
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
It will not even show up on her record when she comes of age so that is not even the issue here. I agree with you if it was the first time but not if it was something that was happening on a regular basis.
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I was pretty sure that texting is not illegal but apparently it is now I guess. I think it's pretty ridiculous that anyone would allow someone with a blue suit on and a badge to arrest an innocent fourteen year old girl and take away her freedom. It's ridiculous that a student would get in enough trouble that they would go as far as hiding their phone in a place such as this. No I'm positive this was not warranted but jesus this is just so unmoral and wrong in my eyes. How can you be arrested for not paying attention in class? We've all done it and anyone that denies it is a liar. This story makes me pretty mad and just proves how wrong the legal system can be sometimes.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
What if this was her 10th time of being warned? or maybe she was warned everyday for a month? If it was just the first offense then I would not agree with the punishment but we do not know how many times she had been warned.
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
20 Feb 09
I think the punishment was a bit harsh for the crime. However why was the student lying about the phone? Why was there a need to text during class? Was there an emergency?
I have no problem with students having cell phones now. However just as with adults there is a time and place to use them. School is not the time or the place unless it is between classes or before or after school. It is extremely disrespectful and I assume the student knew that or would not have lied in the first place.
1 person likes this
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
I agree there is a time and a place to use them and during class time it is not acceptable.
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
20 Feb 09
No it is not a crime but it is school policy and if that policy is broken repeatedly then I could see them using this punishment.
